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ARTICLE · 03 JULY 2026

Commerce Department Extends Export Controls To Advanced AI Models; Authorizes Release To Specific Trusted Partners

Mayer Brown
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The US Commerce Department has taken unprecedented action by extending export controls to artificial intelligence models themselves and API-based access to those models, issuing company-specific directives that require licenses before deployment to foreign persons worldwide. Following concerns about offensive cybersecurity capabilities in Anthropic's Mythos and Fable models, the government's novel interpretation of existing export control authority raises fundamental questions about jurisdiction over AI tec

United StatesGovernment, Public Sector
Thea Kendler
Thea Kendler
Aiysha Hussain
Aiysha Hussain
Howard W. Waltzman
Howard W. Waltzman
Tamer A. Soliman
Tamer A. Soliman
Adam S. Hickey
Adam S. Hickey
Stephanie R. Jebeyli
Stephanie R. Jebeyli
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Through targeted, company-specific actions, the US government has taken the unprecedented step of extending export controls to both artificial intelligence (“AI”) models and the provision of access to such models, raising uncertainty for the cloud-computing and AI industry.

Background

On June 12, 2026, the US Commerce Department, under Secretary Howard Lutnick’s signature, issued an Is-Informed Letter (“IIL”) export control directive to Anthropic, requiring the company to obtain a license before any export, reexport, or transfer (in-country) of its Mythos and Fable models, including to any foreign person worldwide (including if employed by Anthropic in the United States). According to public reporting, the Anthropic IIL followed outreach to senior government officials by a US company raising concerns that researchers had identified a method of bypassing safety guardrails, enabling access to the unrestricted cybersecurity capabilities such as identifying previously unknown

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This Mayer Brown article provides information and comments on legal issues and developments of interest. The foregoing is not a comprehensive treatment of the subject matter covered and is not intended to provide legal advice. Readers should seek specific legal advice before taking any action with respect to the matters discussed herein.

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